Anticipations, Fears and Life After
by softwinds
Summary: As they hurried out, Ino couldn't help but notice that Hinata was actually losing a lot of blood. 'Oh, this is not good,' she thought. "Chouji, we've got to move as fast as we can!"
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Naruto...

**A/N: This story is actually a repost of another story titled Anticipations & Fears, _with an alternative ending. _Do check out the other story for a different feel and if possible, leave me a review as to which ending you prefer. Thanks!**

**Anticipations, Fears & Life After**

Hinata gasped while clutching the sides of her stomach with her hands. The baby within her has been actively kicking for the past five minutes and the last 'attack' was almost furious.

"Hey there, you sure are giving your _kaasan_ a hard time today." she said softly, while looking down and rubbing her tummy in a gentle circular motion. "Now can you just try to relax a little?" she said grinning, as she realized that she was repeating the exact words her husband had said to her.

Eight months into her pregnancy and Hinata still looked breathtakingly beautiful. Some would even say that her pregnancy had made her looked even more radiant than she already was. She seemed to have a certain 'glow' that came with the happy feeling she has with what is growing inside her.

"Another month to go," she sighed. "Let's just hope that you're going to behave. Still… why can't I shake this feeling of foreboding off me?"

For the past few weeks, Hinata had been getting minor cramps almost every day. The pain wouldn't last long but it sure made her felt ever so uncomfortable. She could only be thankful that the Hokage had not allowed her to take on any missions since three months ago. Even though she had been feeling rather bored, in reality, she doubted she could actually execute any missions successfully now – at least not until the baby is born.

Acknowledging her feelings of discomfort, Hinata waddled into the kitchen and reached for a cup to make herself some chamomile tea. She can't deny that deep inside, she kept feeling that some bad things are going to happen. The tea, she hoped, would help soothe her anxieties.

'_You're only worried because you're nearing the time of birth. You're getting cold feet here. I guess it's only natural to feel that way. Now don't be too stressed out. Everything is going to be fine. Just relax a little, okay? I'll be there with you when the baby comes. I promise.'_ The words of her husband ran in her mind. Hinata smiled. She could only hope that the imminent arrival of their child was the only cause of her heightened uneasiness and anxieties.

The door bell rang just as Hinata walked into the living room with her tea. Opening the door, she was pleasantly surprised to see Ino and her husband.

"Hinata, how are you today?" Ino asked with a warm smile. She had a bouquet of lilies in her hands and Chouji was holding two large baskets in his.

Wearing a red tank top and dark short skirt, Ino looked as beautiful as always, with her long blonde hair, tied in a pony tail. All the same, she sure had put on some pounds on her thighs and tummy ever since she had her baby. _But that was almost two years ago!_ Either the process of conceiving and giving birth has put weight on her figure or her husband's way of eating had finally rubbed on her. The temptations must have been overwhelming since food is the number one priority in the Akimichi household. Hinata had often wondered what kinds of food would adorn the dining table of the Akimichi's. It must have been a real sight to behold.

"These are for you," Ino uttered, handing Hinata the lilies.

Wow, these are beautiful." Hinata's face brightened as she took the lilies. "Thank you so much, Ino."

"I knew you would like them. They came in this morning. Come see what we brought", Ino said as she and Chouji walked straight into the kitchen to set their heavy baskets onto the dining table.

Closing the door and trailing after the couple, Hinata asked, "Where's Tamiya?"

"Oh, she's with my parents," Chouji answered.

"Yeah, today is our day off as _parents_," Ino whispered, forming imaginative commas with her fingers at the last word. "I sure hope my in-laws would enjoy taking care of that little _angel_," she added with a giggle. "So, anything interesting?" Ino asked as she and Chouji emptied the contents of the baskets onto the table.

There were rice balls with different fillings, barbecued pork, grilled fish, braised beef, pan-fried chicken, smoked mackerel, tempura prawns, vegetable fritters, tofu soup, pickled radish and ginger, fruit salad and jellies.

Hinata, stunned by what she saw, was unable to reply. Only after Chouji placed a big bowl of soba onto the table and declared that that was the last item from the baskets did she look up with a nervous smile.

"Are we going to have a party for ten people?"

Laughing aloud, Ino answered, "Hey, you have not been gaining enough weight and since we promised we'd do something about it, we had to really make sure that you get to eat the food you like with all the proper nutrition."

"But I can't… no, _we_ can't finish all these."

"Are you kidding? Have you not met an Akimichi before?" Ino quipped, as she lovingly leaned over and hugged her smiling husband. "Believe me, there will be no leftovers when we're done".

"Okay…" grinning widely now, Hinata reached for her kettle and poured water into it." Then I'm sure some hot tea would be just nice for this feast."

"Where's your man?" Ino queried as she reached for some chopsticks and spoons from a drawer.

"Oh, he's probably in the Tower." Hinata answered while taking some cups from a cupboard. "They were having endless discussions about increasing traveling passages to new villages and stuffs yesterday."

"New passages?" the Yamanaka asked while she arranged the chopsticks and spoons onto the dining table.

"Yeah, the Hokage hope to bring in more visitors to Konoha to help boost our trade."

"Really?" Ino inquired, her eyes wide with excitement.

%%%

The sight of the men, quietly standing around the Hokage's table studying something atop it was most amusing. The condition was almost akin to them playing a board game. Every player was quietly contemplating on their next move… There were six of them. The discussions have been going on for a long time and everyone in the office looked almost strained.

_"Baka!"_ Naruto was the first to break the spell. "Is it really that difficult? I thought we could just open up some roads and," he made a snap with his fingers, "everyone will be happy - you, me, the villages and… the people who comes here and… and… everyone!"

"Yeah, then everything will start to bloom in the most promising way. And, the village will prosper, you will prosper… and I will prosper… and we can all go home to sleep, right?" Kakashi lazily added while he drew out his Icha Icha from a pocket and gave a yawn.

"Hey Kakashi, you're not being very helpful, you know?" Naruto frowned.

"It's not as easy as you made it sound like, Hokage-sama," Yamato reasoned.

"Yamato, how many times must I tell you, please don't call me that. I feel so, so, um…ancient. Just call me Naruto, okay?"

"Funny, I always thought you would love being called that since being Hokage has always been your lifelong objective." Sai touted almost uncaringly. "So, wouldn't you like people to actually call you Hokage?"

Sighing aloud, Naruto countered, "Sai, I want to be Hokage. I _am_ the Hokage now! And I love being the Hokage… Well, I'd love being one more if only there weren't quite so many paperworks to do… so many meetings to attend… so many people to please… so… so… sooo many headaches that come with it! Urghh!" Naruto ruffled his hair and hunched his body in defeat.

"You have only been in office for two months, Naruto," Shino, who normally liked to just observe, tried to offer. "It would probably take another couple of months to get used to the whole Hokage thing,"

Displaying his big grin now, Naruto uttered, "Thanks, Shino. That was really kind of you."

"His only objective in being Hokage is to beat up all the bad guys, Shino," Kakashi related without taking his eyes off his book. "He actually thinks that being Hokage is just protecting the village… physically, I mean."

"Well, he has done a good job to begin with," Yamato offered.

"But why does he complain about being Hokage while loving to be one at the same time?" Sai quizzed with an almost confused look.

"Oh, Sai. You are as insensitive as always. I wonder what Sakura saw in you in the first place…," Naruto started.

"Can we just get some peace and quiet here?" a frustrated-looking Shikamaru suddenly uttered. Looking up from the map with elaborate drawings, the Nara continued, "Do we have to go through this everyday? …It's over Naruto. Sakura actually _did_ marry Sai," he sighed. "Get over it, okay?"

"And sadly, Hinata is also taken," mused Kakashi.

"You leave her out of this, Kakashi," threatened the Nara.

Defeated, Naruto nodded before saying, "Can you give me a solution already, Shikamaru?"

%%%

_"Itadakimasu!"_ the voices echoed from the dining room.

Biting into a rice ball, Ino asked, "Do you think they would really open up more routes?"

"Yes," Hinata offered. "But I suppose there were a lot of threats and dangers with the roads they want to open. They had to come out with the best strategies first, in order not to create enemies besides trying to attract traders and visitors."

"Oh, they had to be really tactful when dealing with other villages," Chouji commented before slurping down a bowl of noodles.

"Increased visitors would be good for business, wouldn't it, Chouji?" Ino stated with exhilaration. Taking another bite off her rice ball, she exclaimed, "I know, we could start a little souvenir shop beside my mom's flower shop. And if the business is good, I don't even have to take on any more missions."

"Yeah, like you have been going on a lot of missions," chuckled Chouji.

"Hey, what do you mean by that?" Ino quizzed while poking her husband's stomach with a finger.

"Well, I've thought about that too…" started Hinata.

"What? Opening a souvenir shop?" Ino inquired with a tinge of hostility in her tone.

"No, not that. Just the mission part. I've thought that after the baby comes, I'd really like to be at home more," claimed Hinata. You know…, to be more hands on and things like that."

"Yeah, that is so like you, Hinata," Ino remarked.

"Really?" Hinata smiled a little before turning solemn. "But… I was worried that I might not be able to cope. Will I be a good mother? You know I don't have a mother to turn to, right? Will I know how to keep a baby contented? Will I get bored with child-caring duties and…"

"Relax, Hinata. You'll do just fine," Ino affirmed. "In fact, I think you might do better than Sakura." Gritting her teeth, she added, "Urghhh, that woman is just so lousy when it comes to caring for babies. Remember how she got so upset and nearly dropped Zuki when he peed at her, that one time?

"Yeah," Chouji muttered while shaking his head in disapproval.

"Guys, Sakura was as inexperienced as I am now. She wasn't prepared."

"But you were cool, Hinata." Ino added. "I remembered the time when little Zuki did the big thing and Sakura was practically going to cry. You just scooped him up and cleaned him so easily. You were like an angel to Sakura. A saviour of some sort."

Remembering Sakura's reaction, all three friends laughed heartily.

"I suppose I did have some training with Hanabi," Hinata finally admitted. "But…, I don't know. I-I… just am so worried." She closed her eyes before continuing, "What if I don't make it, Ino?"

"What? What do you mean don't make it?" quipped Ino.

Looking out of the window, Hinata heaved a sigh, "What if I don't make it through childbirth? What if something happens along the way and I… die?"


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Naruto...

As they hurried out, Ino couldn't help but notice that Hinata was actually losing a lot of blood_. 'Oh, this is not good,'_ she thought. "Chouji, we've got to move as fast as we can!"

**Recap:**

_Looking out of the window, Hinata heaved a sigh, "What if I don't make it through childbirth? What if something happens along the way and I… die?"_

"You have been thinking too much, my friend." Ino said simply while Chouji nodded in agreement.

"Giving birth is easy." Ino continued. "It's like… umm… like trying to push a really hard stool out."

"Yeah, make that a boulder," added an amused Chouji. "The hard stool was what she said the last time… before she went into labour." Turning to face Ino, he added, "But when the time came, you were shouting your lungs out saying that you're surely going to die, didn't you? And you were going to strangle me to compensate what you had to go through," he related before chuckling uncontrollably.

"That is sooo not funny, man," Ino hissed and gave him a deadly stare before adding, "Don't let him scare you, Hinata. It's not as frightening as…"

"Aaargg," Hinata gasped with her head bowed and shoulders hunched while clasping her stomach with her hands.

"Hinata! Are you okay?" Ino cried before immediately standing up and reaching out to hold Hinata's arm.

Hinata couldn't answer. The pain was overwhelming. She closed her eyes and could only try to take deep breaths.

A few seconds passed before Ino, looking ever so worried, asked again, "Hinata, how are you… are you in a lot of pain… is this a contraction… did the baby kick you… how are you feeling right now…?"

"Ino, stop asking Hinata so many questions at one time." Chouji uttered as he stood up. "Let her breathe." Looking down at the Hyuga lady, he offered, "Are you okay, Hinata?"

A few more seconds passed before Hinata nodded and emitted, "I'm sorry, guys. I… I get this a lot lately except that… it was more painful just now."

"Did the baby kick?" Ino asked, concern showing all over her face.

Nodding her head, Hinata claimed, "I guess it did kick. There was this, this… this pain in the abdomen that came after. I don't even know if that was a contraction. It could be… but I think... that could just be a false alarm. I've been experiencing this sort of discomfort since a month ago."

"You might just be hungry." Chouji remarked. "Maybe you should eat something. You haven't touched your food."

_"Chouji!"_ Ino shouted. "Hinata didn't cringe in pain because she was hungry! That has got nothing to do with food!"

"Oh…"

"It's okay Ino. I'm fine now. Maybe… maybe, I really am hungry, Hinata tried to reason.

"Are you sure, Hinata?" Ino coaxed worryingly before returning to her seat.

"Yes, I'm fine," Hinata gave a weak smile before gingerly reaching for a rice ball. She was genuinely worried.

%%%

Anko walked casually into the Hokage's office with some tea and steamed buns in a tray. "Refreshments, people," she drawled before placing the said items onto a small table in the corner.

"Oh, great!" Naruto cried. "I guess we should really take a break now."

Upon noticing Anko, Kakashi immediately pushed his infamous book into his pocket. He straightened up before walking over to the daunting lady. "It's so nice of you to bring us food, Anko-chan. I had a feeling the Hokage was going to starve us again today, you know?" he said with a smile playing behind his mask.

"Hey, didn't we have ramen in Ayame's for lunch yesterday?" Naruto defended before taking a big bite off the bun in his hand.

"We sure did," Yamato related. "… and the day before yesterday, and the day before that, _and _the day before that too." Sighing, he lifted four fingers, "Four days in a row!"

Anko scoffed before looking around asking, "Came out with anything yet?"

"Not yet…" complained Sai. "And I had to do the drawings twice yesterday because Shikamaru said that I might have accidentally left out some vital spots. He also said that I might have mistaken the width of the river flowing north of Konoha."

"I didn't say that you might have miscalculated, Sai." Shikamaru countered with a sigh. "I only wanted to be positively sure about the measurements. A thirty feet difference could mean a lot in the costs of building a bridge. And that will also decide on whether or not we would need a simple bridge, which Yamato could easily put together or a concrete one that will cost a lot more, you know?"

Hearing this, Sai only shrugged before reaching for a bun.

"So, were the measurements correct?" Anko asked.

"There were no mistakes in his calculations," Shino stated as-a-matter-of-factly. "Sai and I flew on his picture-eagle around the place yesterday while he did his illustrations. Everything was most precise."

"You know, I never would have doubted Sai's drawings in the first place," Naruto commented. "He is still the best when it comes to depictions and precisions…"

"Then why didn't you say anything yesterday, Naruto?" Shikamaru countered, obviously irritated.

"I did!" Naruto defended.

"Yes, he did, Shikamaru," Kakashi offered offhandedly. "But you weren't paying attention. Your mind was… may I say, preoccupied?"

"If I might add, I think from his actions or… _inactions_ today, his mind might still be as preoccupied," Yamato emitted.

Sighing in defeat, Shikamaru muttered, "Sorry, Sai."

"So, what's up with you, Shikamaru?" Naruto questioned innocently.

"Has Hinata been keeping you busy these nights?" Kakashi quizzed, followed by a wink with his exposed eye.

"I know... It must be those pregnancy-related things." Sai insisted. "I know I had a hard time when Sakura was pregnant. She was like a time bomb about to explode anytime. One minute she's fine and the next, boom! That was when I learnt fear." He shuddered at the thought. "Never, never annoy a pregnant woman."

"I do not believe Hinata could be difficult, Sai," Shino quickly defended.

"Yeah," Anko offered. "She's just the sweetest girl I've ever met. Not one with a temper at all."

"Then, what's bothering you?" Naruto asked again.

"It's…" Shikamaru gave yet another sigh. "... it's nothing."

%%%

The door bell rang a second time that day.

"Who could that be?" Hinata asked.

"I'll get the door, Hinata." Ino almost jumped up from her chair. "You just sit down for now."

As she opened the door, an enthusiastic Kiba uttered, "Hinata!" This was followed by a loud bark, complimentary to his canine friend, Akamaru.

"Do I look like Hinata to you, Kiba?" Ino taunted, although on the inside, she wouldn't have minded the mistake at all since Hinata is in fact, really beautiful.

"Oh, sorry Ino, I didn't know Hinata was having guests today," Kiba said with a toothful grin while scratching the back of his head. "I just came back from a mission this morning. Met Shikamaru in the tower and he wanted me to drop by to see her. Plus… I brought rice with grilled beef!" He lifted a small basket to show his treat.

"Well, well… you do proof to be useful sometimes," Ino remarked. "Actually, Chouji and I…"

"_Ino_!" Chouji shouted from the kitchen. _"Come quick!"_

Both Ino and Kiba were in the kitchen in an instant. Akamaru trailed closely behind. With a gasp, Ino ran over to Chouji who was holding the arms of a hunched Hinata. Small streams of blood were steadily flowing down Hinata's legs.

"Oh God, she's bleeding, Chouji," Ino panicked.

_"What?"_ Kiba cried. Akamaru started whining softly.

Upon hearing their voices, Hinata slowly looked up. "Ki… Kiba…," she breathed.

"We've got to get her to the hospital quick," demanded Ino.

Without hesitation, Chouji funneled chakra into his hands to enlarge them. He then picked Hinata up effortlessly yet carefully before moving out of the house. Hinata could only feebly hold on to his shirt.

As they hurried out, Ino couldn't help but notice that Hinata was actually losing a lot of blood_. 'Oh, this is not good,'_ she thought. "Chouji, we've got to move as fast as we can!"

"I know," Chouji answered as he struggled to run as quickly as he could without endangering Hinata. Ino, Kiba and Akamaru ran alongside.

"Shi-Shika…" Hinata struggled amidst the chaos.

"We've got to get Shikamaru!" Chouji related.

"I'll go get him," Kiba offered before he swiftly hopped onto Akamaru's back. "We'll meet you guys in the hospital."

Sparing a concerned glance at Hinata, the Inuzuka hoped that his gaze could convey his worries for his teammate. Immediately after, Akamaru, with Kiba on his back, sprinted towards the Hokage's tower, leaving Chouji and Ino running as fast as they could.

%%%

"Then we'll surely need a concrete bridge here," Shikamaru addressed, one finger pointing to a spot in the drawing. "Apart from that, we'll also need to station some men to oversee the interchange."

"That wouldn't be a problem," Kakashi offered. "Now that so many young people are eager to be shinobi… courtesy to our hero, the great Uzumaki Hokage…" he amusedly nodded his head towards Naruto, "…we'll be flooded with recruits."

"Thanks, Kakashi," Naruto chaffed, unsure of whether to take the statement as a compliment or otherwise.

"And I can put up a watch tower over here and… here!" Yamato offered enthusiastically.

"These two roads here will need to be closed though," Shikamaru continued.

"Why is that so?" Naruto asked confusedly.

"Well…" Shikamaru started. "See these spots here… these are enormous villages. If we do not seal these roads, then we might be inviting a big influx of people from here," he pointed to a small spot on the drawing.

"Well, wasn't that our main objective?" Naruto countered.

"Yes, it is, Naruto," Shikamaru sighed. "But we have to channel the people to this road over here for easier control and…"

_"Bark! Bark! Bark!"_

Everybody looked up as the door to the Hokage's office opened with a bang, revealing a panic-stricken Kiba.

"So it is true... the bark always precedes the owner." Sai emitted tactlessly while Kiba panted for breath.

"What is wrong, Kiba?" Shino questioned with furrowed eyebrows. All those years of working together have given him access to Kiba's behaviour. This time, he could feel the Inuzuka's apprehensiveness.

"It's Hinata!" Kiba uttered. Turning towards the Nara, he said, "She was bleeding. Chouji and Ino are bringing her to the hospital now."

_"What?"_ Naruto shouted. He turned to face Shikamaru but couldn't find him around anymore. Unsurprisingly, the Nara had already left through the window.

"Well, I never thought that the shadow could also move as fast as lightning…" Kakashi stated while the occupants in the Hokage's office exchange worried looks.


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Naruto...

Before long, Hinata looked up, "Shika…," she started, "I've been having these recurring dreams for many, many nights… I'm so scared."

**Recap:**

_"Well, I never thought that the shadow could also move as fast as lightning…" Kakashi stated while the occupants in the Hokage's office exchange worried looks._

Shikamaru didn't stop jumping from ledge to ledge and running as fast as he could along the lower roofs encircling the tower. He just kept jumping and running… running and jumping. Never in his life had he moved in such rapid speed. He figured he wouldn't be called the 'sluggish genius' if he'd been moving this fast before.

His heart was beating terribly fast. It wasn't due to his movements and pace but to the fears that was slowly building within. The only consolation here is that the hospital is only a stone's throw away from the tower. As he ran, his mind raced through the events from two nights ago.

...

...

The Nara genius stirred from his sleep when he realized that Hinata wasn't lying beside him. With sleepy eyes, he squinted for the time on the table clock to see that it was already past two in the early morning. He was convinced that Hinata was in the bathroom, adjoined to their room but, when he realized that there was no light coming through the door, he sat up.

'Where is Hinata?' he thought.

Yawning while stretching his hands, the shadow wielder thought that he would go look for his wife. He took his time tying his hair into a tight, short ponytail before standing up slowly and shuffling out of their room. Realizing immediately that the house was in slumber darkness, he began to feel apprehensive and wondered where his wife could be.

As he walked toward the stairs, Shikamaru caught sight of a door left ajar. It was the door to the room beside theirs, meant for their coming baby. Taking a peek through the door, he could barely see the outline of his wife. Hinata was sitting in a corner of the room. Trying not to startle her, he made a soft coughing sound before slowly ambling into the room.

"Hinata?" the Nara called softly as he narrowed his eyes to get a better look at his wife in the dark.

His voice startled her a little before she immediately wiped off the tears on her face. Until that moment, she had been sitting in a couch, looking out of the window, though not particularly paying attention to the intensity of the full moon, while silent tears flowed freely down her beautiful face.

Sensing something amiss, the shadow wielder strode forward and knelt down in front of his wife.

"Hinata, were you crying? What's wrong…?"

Hinata shook her head as she suppressed more tears from forming in her eyes.

"Was it the baby? …Did it kick you hard? Did it hurt?" the Nara continued asking, all the while trying to figure out what was bothering his wife.

Hinata kept quiet and only shook her head again. She was trying to hold her tears in and was afraid that talking to her husband now would only threaten more tears from her pale eyes.

Unconvinced, Shikamaru gently held both of Hinata's hands, pleading, "Hinata… tell me what's wrong."

Unable to control herself anymore, the Nara wife leaned onto her husband's shoulder and cried, her tears accompanied by muffled sobs and hitched breaths. Startled, Shikamaru rested his head on Hinata's and started stroking her long dark hair. He had never seen his wife so distraught and couldn't help feeling anxious.

Before long, Hinata looked up.

"Shika…," she started, "I've been having these recurring dreams for many, many nights… I'm so scared."

"Dreams?" the Nara asked confusedly.

She nodded before closing her eyes in a futile effort to stop more tears, her body shaking uncontrollably as she desperately tried to contain her emotions.

Placing a hand on her cheek and wiping off some tears with his thumb, Shikamaru asked, "What dreams?"

Slowly looking up to catch her husband's inquiring eyes, Hinata recalled, "I'd dream of my mother every night."

The shadow wielder raised an eyebrow, surprised at the information.

"I'd be back in my father's house… in her garden… my mother's garden. Then I'll see her standing there. She was in her white Kimono, the one that they put on her when she died… I've missed her… I'd walk nearer to her and she would smile when she sees me."

With the brightness of the moon emanating through the window, the Nara looked searchingly into Hinata's pale orbs as she lingered to call to mind the dream that she had.

Drawing a deep breath, she continued, "There were flowers everywhere. Beautiful, beautiful flowers… just like how it used to be… I'd pick some up. They had beautiful colors…"

At this, Shikamaru noticed that his wife had a faraway look on her face, almost like she was caught in her own dreams and was actually imagining herself back in her father's house. But when she came to, he could see that she looked sad… even scared.

"But then the flowers… the flowers would start to bleed… Blood would spill out of them - lots and lots of blood. My hands… they… they would be covered with them," Hinata related with fear.

Furrowing his eyebrows, the shadow wielder tried to make sense of what his wife was relating while she lifted both hands, studying them as if certain they were stained with blood.

Painfully, she continued, "I'd look at my mother and she would have this… this… sorrowful look. So… so sad. Then… there's blood everywhere. They'd keep rising and…and I'd be covered with blood. It would come up to my feet… and then my knees… my waist. I'd… I'd hold on to our baby…"

In fear, Hinata wound her hands around her belly as she would in her dreams. She was clearly afraid. Afraid for her unborn child. Afraid of how real the dreams had felt.

Quietly, Shikamaru shifted onto the couch, sitting beside his wife, embracing her from behind. He placed his hand over the swell of her stomach while his fingers entwined with hers. He then rested his chin on her shoulder in a comforting manner as he slowly tried to decipher what his wife was telling him.

"I want to run but I… I can't move and… and I can't see you anywhere." Hinata went on. "I'd try to call out for you but nothing would come out. And the blood would come up to my face. I… I couldn't breathe. I was… I was drowning… Then… then I'd wake up."

When she finished recollecting, Hinata leaned against her husband, while fresh tears flowed down her cheeks. "Shika, I think I might die… I'll die just like my mother."

Inhaling deeply, Shikamaru muttered, "Hinata… you will not die." Then, slowly turning her around to face him, he held her hands and said, "It was just a dream. It didn't really mean anything."

"But… it felt so real."

Bending over to place a soft kiss on her hands, the Nara contemplated the situation before trying to give a convincing answer to his wife.

"Your dreams simply revealed your apprehension and excitement about the whole pregnancy thing…" he started. "You're being protective of the baby while at the same time, you're afraid of the inevitable. It's just… anticipations mixed with fears."

"But Shika, I've had the same dream for many, many days and…"

"It's nothing to worry about… really! You're just being nervous and… and scared! That's all!"

"But…"

"Now don't start behaving like a small girl. You're going to be a mum soon. Everything will turn out fine. I'm sure you can handle childbirth," he said as he placed a hand on her stomach and gently rubbed it.

It took many seconds before Hinata sighed in defeat. Perhaps, it would be coherent to accept her husband's rationale. She considered that she might actually have over-reacted to the dreams and it was actually her anticipations that had played with her mind. Almost immediately, she gave a half smile when she deduced where his way of explanation might have come from.

"You have been reading the book, didn't you?" she asked.

"What… book?" the shadow wielder raised an eyebrow, trying to look naive.

"The one Sai lent to you."

"Well…"

"Don't try to act innocent here…" Hinata threatened jokingly.

Her husband nodded in defeat.

"I thought you said you would never touch the book…," Hinata teased. "Imagine _the Nara_, the great all-knowing genius going as low as reading 'An Idiot's Guide to.'"

"Okay-okay, you got me this time," Shikamaru laughed. "I read the book out of boredom. But… it did provide some insights."

"Did it?" Hinata asked candidly. "Does that mean that everything is going to be fine?"

"Sure… You're going to be fine."

"And our baby?"

"Our baby is going to be fine too."

Hinata smiled. She was feeling more optimistic than before.

After a pause, Shikamaru stood up. He offered a hand to his wife who took it and stood up slowly. Pulling her into a hug, he said, "You should go to sleep now. You need to rest."

Hinata nodded. Then, looking into her husband's eyes, she smiled before emitting, "I love you."

"I love you too," he said as he gently planted a kiss on her forehead, only grateful that the room is dark enough to conceal his worried state. _'Could there actually be a hidden message behind the dreams?' _

...

...

Jumping down a roof and finally running towards the entrance of the hospital, Shikamaru instantly spotted his best friend. The Akimichi was running as fast as he could with Hinata in his hands before the shadow wielder caught up with him as they both entered the hospital. Immediately stopping Chouji in his tracks, the shadow-wielder was terror-struck at the sight before him. Not only was Hinata drenched with blood from her lower back down, Chouji's piece of clothing was also filled with big blotches of fresh red stains.

Without a word, Shikamaru moved forward and took Hinata from Chouji's chakra-enlarged hands, realizing right away that his wife was only barely conscious. In desperation, he sprinted through the hospital, looking frantically for help.

"You're going to be okay…" Shikamaru uttered as he ran. "I've got you… You're going to be okay, Hinata… you're going to be okay."

"Shikamaru!" someone shouted from a corridor on his left. "Over here!"

Turning around quickly, the Nara found Ino signaling for him to her direction. He made to run towards her before Hinata started to struggle in pain. Sensing her distress, he stopped for the briefest of moments to find Hinata, with her eyes closed, extending her hands to grab his shirt.

"Shika…," she muttered weakly.

Immediately after, Ino came up to the shadow wielder just as a pink-haired Sakura hurried behind with a mobile stretcher. Without hesitation, Shikamaru laid Hinata onto the stretcher while she held on to his shirt.

Not wanting to waste any more time, Sakura placed her chakra-induced hands on Hinata's stomach, trying to get a better perception of her situation.

Then, creasing her eyebrow in confusion, Sakura said, "There's something strange there…" Soon, the pink-haired medic looked up before shouting, "She's losing too much blood. We've got to get her to the operating room now! Ino! Go get Shizune and Tsunade! Quick!"

Without further delay, the long-haired Yamanaka ran off to look for the two medical specialists while Sakura and Shikamaru pushed the stretcher towards the operating room.

As they hurried, the Nara could feel Hinata's hands tightening around his. Not allowing it to go unnoticed, he squeezed her hands.

"You'll be fine…" he emitted. "…You've got to be."

He knew then that, not only was he trying to comfort his wife, he was also trying to convince himself she'll actually be okay.

Arriving at the entrance of the operating room, Sakura ordered, "Shikamaru, you've got to stay out."

"No!" the Nara countered, still holding on to Hinata's hands.

"You can't come in! You've got to stay out!" Sakura threw back before the door was opened from inside by two medical staffs.

"No, I want to be there!" he argued.

"You can't!" Sakura shouted before she ruthlessly pushed the shadow wielder away and wheeled the stretcher in, closing the door immediately.

Shikamaru was about to run through the door before he felt two strong pairs of hands pulling him back. With determination, he tussled vigorously.

"_Let… me… go_!"


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own Naruto

Looking worried was an understatement. With trembling hands clenched in a given pattern to form his shadow jutsu, Shikamaru looked like a deer caught in a snare, ready to be shot down in a second.

**Recap:**

_Shikamaru was about to run through the door before he felt two strong pairs of hands pulling him back. With determination, he tussled vigorously._

_"Let… me… go!"_

The hands holding him wouldn't loosen. Soon, the Nara stopped struggling, not because he couldn't fight anymore but because he realized that he would be thrown out of the room even if he did get through. Hunching in defeat, he violently shoved the hands grasping his arms away and furiously turned around to find Shino and Kiba standing before him, while Akamaru, leaning against his owner, gave a soft bark.

As he looked past them, he found a third person - Chouji was standing some paces away, looking at him nervously, not used to seeing his normally composed friend so agitated and lost.

Choosing to ignore the audience, Shikamaru started pacing up and down the hallway while his eyes darted through the corridors. He halted mid-pace when he spotted Shizune running towards the door to the operating room.

"Shizune… I want to…" he tried to relate, as he ran up to her.

"Not now, Shikamaru." Shizune cried as she rushed into the room.

"_Shizune…_"

The door to the room closed before Shikamaru could utter another word. For a moment, he bowed his head in defeat.

Taking this as an opportunity, Kiba walked up to the shadow wielder, trying to offer some words of comfort but before he could say anything, Shikamaru started pacing again, leaving him in mid-action.

Ignored, the Inuzuka turned around only to find Shino, standing with both hands in his pockets, giving him the slightest shake of his head. He understood that as a gesture for him to not to attempt anything further. With a resigned sigh, Kiba took a seat on a bench facing the operating room and started stroking Akamaru mindlessly. He was undeniably worried and knew that even though his silent teammate didn't show any signs of anxiety, Shino was equally concerned.

Not long after, Chouji joined him in his seat, his body slumped with the exhaustion of chakra and his head lowered in apprehension.

When the door opened and a medical helper hurried out, all heads immediately perked up while Shikamaru rushed forward. "How is…" he cried before the said person, clearly ignoring his presence, ran down the hallway.

Turning around, the Nara gave a quick anxious look toward Chouji and the rest, before he started pacing again. Less than a minute later, Sakura sped out of the room but before anyone had the time to react, she had darted towards the same direction the previous helper had gone.

Shikamaru stopped pacing as his eyes lingered toward the path Sakura had disappeared to. He was anxiously lost and seriously worried.

"What is happening?" he thought.

Standing in the middle of the corridor, the Nara felt that he needed to convey his message to the aides. Unconsciously, he put his hands together, fingertips to fingertips. He contemplated the situation just as Ino and Tsunade came running into sight. Acknowledging the fact that he would be ignored again, he reacted without hesitation, his hands clasped in a pose to produce the shadows that preceded his clan's recognition.

Rushing towards the door and about to go straight in, Tsunade found herself suddenly immobilized.

"_What the_…?" previous Hokage murderously shouted before looking sideways to see who the perpetrator was. "_Shikamaru, what do you_… think…" her voice faltered as her fury subsided immediately when she glimpsed the state the shadow wielder is in.

Looking worried was an understatement. With trembling hands clenched in a given pattern to form his shadow jutsu, Shikamaru looked like a deer caught in a snare, ready to be shot down in a second.

"I-I need to tell you that-that Hinata's mother died giving birth to Hanabi," he uttered rapidly, his voice quivering in agony. "She had seizures, then fell unconscious before bleeding to death. I think Hinata might be experiencing the same things and I… I don't want to lose her… Please… please save her…" his voice faded as he consciously released his jutsu stance.

"She will not die, Shikamaru. Not on my watch..." Tsunade uttered confidently before disappearing into the room.

Finally overcome by his sudden outburst and acknowledgement of fears, the shadow wielder fell to his knees helplessly, his shoulders slumped and head bowed. He only looked up when he felt Chouji's comforting hands on his shoulders.

"You should take a seat," his best friend offered before pulling him up and tugging on his arms, leading him to the bench.

Understandably, Shikamaru's statement had brought a new height of shock to the listeners as a chill of awareness finally dawned on them. Ino stood motionless as she tried to comprehend the seriousness of the situation while Kiba exchanged a terror-stricken look with the silent Aburame.

Shortly after, Sakura and the other medical helper came running towards the operating room, both holding onto each side of a cooler. This time however, nobody tried to stop them as they rushed into the room.

As the anticipations mounted, Shikamaru bent over, his head bowed and his eyes closed as he breathed deeply. There was nothing more he could do at the moment except to wait. Willing his fears away, he tried to bring his thoughts back to a week ago; to a time he shared with his wife.

...

...

It was a cool, clear evening and the shadow wielder was lying on the soft grass with both hands behind his head, gazing at the clouds rolling by while Hinata sat beside him, quietly reading a book. They were in their own backyard where Hinata had fruitfully planted an apple tree in a corner and a few patches of leafy vegetables, tomatoes and even pumpkins in a separate spot, leaving ample space in the middle to accommodate Shikamaru's cloud-gazing interest.

Sighing aloud, the shadow wielder finally broke the comfortable silence.

"You know Hinata…," he started, without taking his eyes off the clouds. "I had only wanted to be an average ninja, earning an average salary, marrying an average wife, have two kids…"

"Well, what happened?" Hinata interrupted without taking her eyes off her book.

"Well, I don't know… Ironically, I ended up being the assistant to the Hokage, earning more than average wage and… marrying the most beautiful woman in the whole of Konoha… a baby on the way… I must have overdone something in between."

Beaming, Hinata looked up and asked, "Are you complaining?"

"Well… not really…"

"Good…" Hinata remarked before turning back to reading her book.

"What are you reading?" Shikamaru asked when it finally dawned on him that his wife was more interested in a certain manuscript than in him.

"This one," she said, holding up the book to her husband. "You brought it home yesterday. I never thought you'd read this kind of book."

"Sai insisted I take it. Said it provided a lot of pointers to him when Sakura was pregnant… as if I'd need that… I don't even want to touch it," Shikamaru grunted.

Smiling contentedly, Hinata continued reading while the Nara quietly gazed at the clouds above.

After some peaceful moments, Hinata finally looked up, "Shika, have you chosen a name for our baby?"

"Well…" Shikamaru started, without taking his eyes off the clouds.

"You still haven't given it a thought, huh?" Hinata chided. "Are you going to give it some consideration soon? We don't have much time you know…"

"You're wrong, Hinata. We have ample time," the Nara countered. "There's more than a month to go."

"Actually…, I've come across a name I liked and thought that maybe you might like it too."

"And what is it?" he asked with a hint of interest.

"Keitaro," Hinata offered with a smile. "Keitaro would be a nice name for a boy."

"Kei-ta-ro?" he pondered. "It means blessed."

"U-huh"

"Nara Keitaro… Not a bad name," Shikamaru said. "What about a girl's? Have…"

"It's a boy!" Hinata blurted out.

Immediately turning his head to glance his now guilty-looking wife, Shikamaru asked, "How did you know?" Then, with a devious grin, he added, "You… saw it?"

"No, I already told you I can't see the baby inside of me even with my Byakugan. Only another Byakugan user could…" she stopped.

Sitting up now, Shikamaru prodded with renewed interest, "Who was it? Neji? …Hanabi? …Hiashi-sama?

"Well, no. It… it was only a hunch. I just had a feeling it would be a boy."

"You know… you are a terrible liar… And you think you could lie to someone like me?" the Nara grinned. "Well, let's see… You visited your father this morning… he's probably not the only person you saw… and you stayed for breakfast and also lunch… and… then you suddenly have a hunch it's a boy…" He grinned widely before exclaiming, "Someone must have scanned the little thing with the Byakugan. Only question is, who?"

Decoded, Hinata giggled before answering, "It was my father."

_"Hiashi-sama?"_ Shikamaru quipped. "Well, so nice of my father-in-law to ruin our surprise…"

"Shika, my father was only concerned about my well-being. He only took a look to make sure that the baby was fine. He didn't intentionally tell me the gender of our baby… It just didn't occur to him that we didn't want to find out."

"Yea, now he knows we're going to have a son before I do," the Nara drawled.

There was another silence before Hinata related, "My mother died giving birth to Hanabi… That was a long, long time ago. I was only five then. I didn't really know what actually happened until today. My father said that she had seizures during labor. Soon after, she fell unconscious. It seemed that she started bleeding heavily after she gave birth to Hanabi and… and then she died... She must have bled to death."

"You've never told me this before…"

"Like I said earlier, I didn't really know what happened… Not until today."

Lifting her head up to look at the clouds, Hinata took a deep breath before continuing, "That was why my father wanted me to go over for breakfast today. He wanted to make sure that I was going to be okay… He wanted me to know what my mom went through and hoped that I would be better equipped when the time comes." Turning around to look at her husband, Hinata added, "He looked inside because he wanted to make sure I will be okay…"

Another stretch of silence passed before Hinata muttered, "I… I'm also worried about the whole thing. What… What if I don't make it…?"

"Well, it seems Hiashi-sama had actually managed to inflict some fear into you…" Shikamaru scoffed. "Hinata, what happened to your mother took place nearly twenty years ago. Things were different then. We have better surgical care now."

"No, it's not that, Shika. It's… it's just these dreams I… nothing."

"What is it, Hinata? Something has been bothering you for the past few days. You seemed a little pensive lately…"

Shaking her head, Hinata looked down and started pulling some grass off the ground.

"Shika," she uttered, finally looking into her husband's dark brown eyes. "If anything ever happens to me, you have to promise you will take good care of our baby, okay?"

"Hinata…"

"Please…"

"Okay…, I promise I'll take care of the child as I would my very own," Shikamaru joked.

_"Nara Shikamaru! Stop joking!"_ Hinata pouted and folded her hands.

Chuckling at his wife's behavior, Shikamaru shifted to sit behind Hinata, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"Nothing will happen, Hinata. You're only worried because you're nearing the time of childbirth. You're getting cold feet here… I guess it's only natural to feel that way. Now don't be too stressed out. Everything is going to be fine. Just relax a little, okay? …I'll be there with you when the baby comes. I promise."

"You've got to keep to your promise, you know?" Hinata emitted while smiling broadly.

"Sure..."

...

...


	5. Chapter 5

I do not own Naruto...

"Tsunade proves to be most masterful in surgical interventions…," the elder Hyuga slowly offered, sensing his son-in-law's distress. "Hinata is also strong. She will pull through."

**Recap:**

_"You've got to keep to your promise, you know?" Hinata emitted while smiling broadly._

_"Sure..."_

_..._

_..._

"Hyuga Hiashi…" Kiba suddenly uttered, breaking the nerve-racking silence.

Looking up and following the Inuzuka's gaze, Shikamaru found his father-in-law striding down the hallway. Hanabi was hurrying beside him.

"Hiashi-sama…" the Nara called before standing up.

As he walked up to the shadow wielder, the Hyuga leader asked gravely, "Is Hinata here?"

Shikamaru nodded.

"Where?"

"In there," he answered, tilting his head toward the room.

Without another word, the father-in-law turned to face the door to the operating room and immediately activated his _kekkai genkai._

"We were at your place just now." Hanabi related before she too turned around and activated her Byakugan. "Father said he had a feeling something's not quite right and wanted to visit Hinata just to make sure. Imagine our surprise when we found the door wide opened and the place in a mess."

"We forgot to close the door!" Ino gasped as she exchanged an apologetic look with her husband.

Oblivious to Ino's comments, Hanabi continued, "When we spotted blood on the floor, father was determined that Hinata was in trouble. We came here immediately."

"She has lost a lot of blood," Shikamaru stated in anguish.

"The Akimichi carried her here?" Hiashi asked without turning around, obviously having glanced Chouji's piece of garment without much trouble.

"Yes," Shikamaru answered, only realizing then that he hadn't thanked his best friend.

"Father…" Hanabi suddenly exclaimed. "The chakra…"

Anxiously, Shikamaru tried to perceive what both of Hinata's closest relatives were witnessing.

"She has channeled part of her chakra to the baby," the Hyuga leader slowly explained.

"What?" Shikamaru asked confusedly. "Why…?"

"She's protecting it that way?" Hanabi inquired, eyes still on the door.

Hyuga Hiashi nodded.

"We discussed the ways to overcome any occurrences last week," the father-in-law added. "Her overall chakra is applied to her blood circulation system. She could have bled worse."

The Nara slowly came to understand what his wife had actually sensed ahead and how she had reacted to the situation. That explained her almost sedentary state earlier when he had carried her. Nevertheless, she still had lost a lot of blood…

The corridor became deathly quiet as the two Hyugas slowly played witnesses the goings-on in the operating room. Undoubtedly, their pose would have been an amusing sight to anyone who hadn't heard of the Hyuga's kekkai genkai. Imagine seeing two people standing outside a room, unmoving, while their eyes focused on the door...

Standing between the two Hyugas, the shadow wielder looked from side to side, trying to read what were on the minds or rather, the eyes of Hinata's father and sister. He became nervous when he saw Hanabi slowly opening her mouth in apprehension and was about to interrupt her when he heard the soft crying of a baby – his son…

Turning instantly to face the door, Shikamaru felt his heart suddenly skipped a beat… or two. He could have missed the sound of the baby crying. It sounded more like a little kitten. Soft and weak.

There were shifting sounds behind him before Kiba shouted, "It's the baby!" A loud bark ensued.

"The baby is fine," the Hyuga leader said, his eyes never wavering.

"It… It's a boy," Hanabi added.

"I know," Shikamaru related softly. "How… how is Hinata?"

Hanabi shook her head slightly as she looked on, sending Shikamaru into a deeper state of despair. He immediately turned to scan his father-in-law's expression but that didn't prove helpful either because Hyuga Hiashi was as impassive as usual.

"Tsunade proves to be most masterful in surgical interventions…," the elder Hyuga slowly offered, sensing his son-in-law's distress. "Hinata is also strong. She will pull through."

It didn't take too long before the door to the operating room slowly opened, allowing Sakura, pushing an incubator, through. Nervously, Shikamaru walked up to the crib, looking into the apparatus to see a tiny, helpless baby all wrapped up and wriggling weakly. Soon, he was surrounded by Ino, Chouji, Kiba and Shino.

Looking up at the pink-haired kunoichi, Shikamaru asked in apprehension, "How is Hinata?"

All eyes were on Sakura when she forced a smile and said, "She lost a lot of blood and seemed to be struggling really hard. They are doing a transfusion now but…, I think she is going to be fine."

Nodding appreciatively, the Nara heaved a soft sigh before whispering, "Thanks, Sakura."

%%%

Opening her eyes slowly, Hinata tried to discern where she was. She had just awoken from a dream. She had dreamt of her mother. It wasn't the same kind of dream she had had for days. This time however, it was peaceful… She felt peaceful. Her mother had smiled to her and given her a soft pat on her shoulders before she waved goodbye. Unconsciously, Hinata gave a smile before realizing that she was in a hospital room. She reflexively placed her hands on her stomach.

"_My baby," _she thought.

As she shifted a little, the Nara wife felt something, or rather someone on her right. Immediately turning around, she found Shikamaru, with his arms on the bed and head resting on them, sleeping peacefully. She smiled to herself again as she realized that her husband had been sleeping by her side.

Softly placing a hand on his cheek, Hinata called, "Shika…"

Inhaling deeply, Shikamaru stirred before opening his eyes to find his wife looking at him.

"Hinata…," the shadow wielder emitted before instantly reaching for her hand. "You have been unconscious for three days. I was so worried…"

"The baby… How… is it?" Hinata asked weakly.

"He's fine…. He's a little small but he's doing alright."

"A little… small?" Hinata worryingly asked.

The Nara nodded with a smile.

"Well, Tsunade said that he is almost fully developed and amazingly, he had no breathing issues and was able to feed well. That's really good for a pre-termed baby. He's already out of the incubator."

Nodding in acknowledgement, Hinata asked, "Can I… see our baby?"

"I'll get Sakura to bring him over," Shikamaru said before standing up and helping his wife to a sitting position.

Then, the door opened with a creak as Ino slowly peeped in. Upon seeing a conscious Hinata, the Yamanaka gave an excited shriek before entering the room, followed closely by Ten Ten and Rock Lee.

"Hinata." Ino and Ten Ten chorused while Lee flashed a broad toothy smile.

"How are you doing?" Ten Ten asked as the three walked toward the bed.

"I'm… fine," Hinata emitted softly.

"She just woke up," Shikamaru explained as he thumbed his wife's cheek lovingly.

"We have been so worried for you, Hinata," Ino stated.

"Why don't you guys accompany her while I… what's with that smile, Lee?" Shikamaru quizzed. Lee was exhibiting an especially enthusiastic, almost comical, smile.

Turning around, he spotted Ten Ten turning pink and, putting two and two together, the shadow wielder gave a grin.

"You've got good news…"

"Shikamaru, you really are a genius!" Ino quipped while Hinata looked on confusedly.

"Lee… what did I miss?" Hinata asked, fully aware that her state of consciousness had left her mental power working a little slower.

Looking over to his wife, Lee exclaimed excitedly "We're pregnant!"

'_We?_' would have been what the shadow wielder wanted to blurt out but he kept quiet, opting instead to give a crooked smile, shook his head and exited the room.

"Lee! _I_ am pregnant, not we!" Ten Ten exclaimed, missing Hinata's '_Congratulations_.'

"Ten Ten," Lee started. "You are wrong… We are in this together. If you are pregnant, that means I am pregnant too. That is what a husband is for… to share the good and bad times."

"Oh, Lee… Get real, won't you," Ino quipped impatiently. "How can a man even come near to knowing how it feels like to be pregnant? Just wait till Ten Ten starts getting all those morning sickness, while her stomach starts to swell like a balloon and her buttocks expand in the most unladylike…"

"Ino…," Hinata uttered, trying to stop the Yamanaka from enlightening further.

"Well, don't you worry Ten Ten, my love knows no boundaries… We will go through these trying times together and emerge stronger than we are now… and with a baby!" he ended with a thumb up.

"Lee… please." Ino threatened, "You're giving me goose bumps."

Then, before Ino could complain further, there was a knock on the door and everybody turned around. As the door opened, Sai walked in with a small basket of fruits.

"If I'm not mistaken, bringing fruits would be the appropriate thing to do when we visit someone in the hospital," the newcomer stated almost mechanically before walking over and placing the basket on a side table.

"Thank you, Sai," Hinata emitted.

"So… how are you?" Sai asked almost uncomfortably.

"I'm fine…" Hinata uttered.

"Umm…"

"Oh come on, Sai. Get it out. What did you learn from your books this time?" Ino sneered, clearly agitated with the carefully, thought-over comments.

"Ino…" Hinata muttered, hoping that her good friend would stop taunting the artist.

"We are pregnant, Sai!" an energetic Lee interrupted, clearly not restraining his excitement.

"_Lee!_" Ten Ten threw back.

"We?" the black-haired artist asked. "You mean… your wife…?"

Lee nodded excitedly, showing a thumb while flashing his familiar, confident, toothy grin.

"Is that the term to use now?" Sai asked confusedly.

"Oh God!" Ino mocked. "You people are so unbelievable!"

The door to the room opened yet again for the third time after Hinata awoke, admitting Shikamaru. The Nara pulled the door wide open to allow Sakura, who was pushing a baby crib, through.

Acknowledging the moment, the pink-haired medic motioned for the visitors to leave the couple alone before spotting her husband.

"Sai? When did you arrive?" Sakura asked.

Walking up to his wife, Sai paused in thought before he took his wife's hand.

"Not here…" Sakura said, immediately pulling her hand away and pushing the crib towards Hinata, muttering "I'll come back later," then leaving the room with the others.

Without wasting any more time, Shikamaru carefully carried his son from the crib and slowly placed it into Hinata's arms. Taking into account what had happened the past few days, the moment became almost miraculous. They were so close to death and loss that the simple action of holding their son gave them an overwhelming feeling of pure relief and happiness - their anticipations and fears finally over, their apprehension and dilemma, overcome.

A tear flowed down Hinata's cheek as she looked at her baby for the first time. '_Could they have lost the baby if they got to the hospital later? Could he have died if she hadn't protected him with her chakra?' _The questions played in her mind but she slowly pushed it away. Her son is safe now. That was all that mattered. She carried the child nearer to her face and gave him a soft kiss as Shikamaru looked on with a contented smile.

"You gave me the scare of my life, you know?" the shadow wielder finally said as he planted a kiss on his wife's forehead. "I thought I'd lose you…"

"I'm sure it would be different the next time," Hinata softly uttered as she held back more tears.

"Next time? …I don't want a next time…"

%%%

Running excitedly into his parents' room, Keitaro was suddenly held stationary by his father's shadow jutsu at the doorway.

"_Tou-san_!" he cried.

"How many times must I teach you to be wary of your surroundings, Keitaro?" Shikamaru asked as he sat on his bed with a cheeky grin, hands clasped together in the Shadow Possession Jutsu stance.

"This is not fair… _Kaa-san_ wants me wake you," the five-year-old cried.

"Okay, let's see what fair means," the older Nara teased before he pulled his shirt off his body, imitated immediately by his son.

"_Kaa-san_! Help me!" Keitaro shouted, giggling despite his predicament.

Putting his hands into the blanket that covered half his body, Shikamaru reached for his pajamas pants. The shadow wielder gave a wicked smile before slowly peeling his pants down, while his son involuntarily did the same with his knee-length shorts.

"_Kaa-san! Kaa-san!_"

"What is happening!" Hinata asked as she came running up the stairs.

Caught off-guard, she was about to reprimand her son for his actions when she spotted the shadow strings holding him in place.

"_Shikamaru! What are you doing?_" Hinata shouted before picking up Keitaro's clothes.

Releasing his jutsu, the shadow wielder laughed heartily before emitting, "Hinata, I was teaching him to be more aware of the surroundings. He has got to learn to be more cautious, you know."

Then, when she had finally helped her son with his clothes, Hinata motioned for Keitaro to go downstairs.

"This is not the way to teach our son," she uttered when the boy was out of earshot. "You know he picks up your tricks faster than anybody."

"Okay… I'll use a better approach next time."

"Something more appropriate?"

"Yes… Something more appropriate."

"Good! Now go get ready. Your parents will be here for Keitaro soon… and we need to leave by eleven. Don't forget we promised the Hokage we'd help him choose a wedding gift for his wife."

The shadow wielder gave a sigh.

"By the way… put your pants back on," Hinata said while suppressing a smile, before leaving the room.

She didn't need the Byakugan to know that her husband would be as naked as her son was under the sheets…

Subsequently, as she was descending the stairs, the Nara wife spotted Keitaro, with his shirt off and hands on his pants, about to pull it down. Quickly crossing the floor to him, she noticed that he was commanding a shadow that went beyond the front door.

"Keitaro, what are you…?" Hinata asked before she heard her father-in-law swearing outside.

Gasping, she quickly ordered her son to stop his actions before opening the door to find a flustered, shirtless Shikaku while the Nara matriarch laughed uncontrollably by his side.

Embarassed, Hinata apologized profusely before Keitaro ran out and practically jumped onto his grandfather who cuddled him with a smile.

"_Jii-san_, I caught you this time!" the excited five-year-old exclaimed.

"Well, yes… Although I'd prefer a better way," uttered the grandfather.

"I saw you coming. I saw you with my eyes," Keitaro said, pointing to his own eyes that have the palest shade of brown for the irises.

"Wow, that is so clever of you, Keitaro," Yoshino offered. "Now we know what your parents do around here…" the grandmother added with a wink aimed at Hinata. "Although… I wonder why you're still the only child."

Catching his mother's last sentence, Shikamaru sighed heavily before approaching the party, only to find his father and son shirtless.

"What hap…" he started to ask before concluding what might have happened earlier and turned to catch his wife's I-told-you-so look…

%%%

Hinata heaved a sigh after seeing the three disappeared down the lane.

"You know, your mother's right. We should have another child… I really want to have another one," she uttered as she turned to her husband.

"Hinata, we talked about this before… Tsunade said there is a fifty percent chance the same thing might happen again with a second child... I don't want to take the risk."

"I know, but it can be different this time," Hinata tried to reason.

"How different?"

"Well, at least this time Hanabi's around. Since she's already a medic nin, I can get her to help monitor my…"

"She won't be there all twenty four hours."

"I can get Neji to help too…"

"He just got married. He won't have time."

"I'll stay in the hospital when I'm eight months…"

"Hinata…"

"Seven months…, six months…"

"Hinata…"

"I'll stay with your mother!"

"Hin… _what?_" Shikamaru almost shouted, clearly convinced that he had heard his wife wrongly.

"I'll stay with your mother if it means that I can have another child," Hinata said, eager to persuade her husband into an agreement. "At least she'll be around to help me in the first few months…"

It meant more than just a thought. It was almost an offer to take on an S-class mission without any weapons in hand, or in this case, to put up with his mother's overwhelmingly meddlesome ways… The Nara knew that his wife was serious when she brought up the offer. He felt like he was almost cornered…

On the contrary though, Hinata thought that she had lost the battle… yet again. Closing the door, she turned to walk away.

"I'll go get changed," she said.

Halfway across the floor, the Nara wife was held motionless by her husband's shadow jutsu.

"Shika, what are you doing…?" Hinata asked before being forced to turn around to face her husband.

Grinning widely, Shikamaru slowly closed their distance with the help of his shadows and held Hinata's hands before releasing his jutsu.

"You know…," he said. "You don't have to stay with my mother. I'll think of something as we go along… Although checking into the hospital at five months might not be a bad idea."

"Five? Shika…"

"Shhh," the shadow wielder said as he put a finger on his wife's lips. "If we're going to have another baby, I suggest we start working on it right now," he emitted before taking his wife by surprise by pulling her close with a jerk and immediately giving her a deep, passionate kiss.

Finally coming apart for air, Hinata smiled as she panted, "Shika, the Hokage will be waiting…"

"I'm sure Naruto won't mind us being a little late," Shikamaru uttered before sweeping Hinata off the floor. "At this moment however, we have more important things to do," the Nara said, grinning mischievously while he carried his wife towards the stairs, climbing up to their room…

**A/N: Finally… I do really hope that this is pleasant enough. Fact is, I find happy endings harder to write compared to tragic ones. (Maybe it's the sadist in me. _lol_!)**

**Anyway, let me know what you think of the two endings. Which is better? _This_ or '_Anticipations and Fears_?' Be my judge. **

**And if you think I've fallen short in any way, criticize me, correct me, shoot me with your words. I really like challenges and often emerge stronger. **

**Once again, thank you for taking the time to read my story._ "One would have no stories to tell if there are no listeners... and no stories to write if there are no readers…" _**

**Until I write again…**

**- softwinds -**


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